BSA Bantam

[ASPC]

This is not mine but I had one of these years ago.

 

[Mr ed]

Nice

 

[Fawlty]

This is not mine but I had one of these years ago.

That is a D14/4 BSA Bantam 175 cc 1971 model. In 1970 I owned a 1968 model in Blue and Silver. Great bike until it was left out in the rain. It would refuse to start and I had to remove the spark plug and heat it up on the gas cooker. The 2 stroke oil was placed in the petrol tank, using a measure built in to the petrol cap. You had to be sure to use self mixing 2 stroke oil (preferably Castrol) and vigorously shake the tank by rocking the bike on the stand, otherwise the oil would sink right into the carb. Happy days. I owned it for just over a year and part exchanged it for a Honda C50. I certainly wish I still had one. Thanks for posting.

 

[jfheath]

I loved my D14/4 - my first bike. That looks very nice. Good description from Fawlty.
The iginition timing was fixed and was always a compromise between being too sluggish and having better acceleration but horrible engine rattle / pinking. Easy to experiment and adjust at the side of the road though - behind that circular cover near the gear lever. (British bikes typically had their brake pedal on the left and gear lever on the right).
There was no ignition key, ignition was turned on by one of the switches on the headlight.

 

[Beeflips]

Didn't realize that was a two stroke, looks similar in stature to my Gilera 124, also marketed in the US as a Sears Allstate.
BTW, I need a crank for this thing, anybody have one laying around?